# Matt Gaetz being investigated for sex with 17 year old girl (DOJ declines to charge 2023-02-15) **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [March 30, 2021, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/matt-gaetz-being-investigated-for-sex-with-17-year-old-girl-doj-declines-to-charge-2023-02-15/939052 "2021-03-30T22:13:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 18
**Author:** ![Mijin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mijin/32/9369_2.png) [@Mijin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mijin)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2021, 6:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/matt-gaetz-being-investigated-for-sex-with-17-year-old-girl-doj-declines-to-charge-2023-02-15/939052/344 "2021-04-17T06:05:14Z")
> [@Deeg](#): > > As far as I know all the allegations made against Gaetz are from anonymous sources. > […] > As soon as the allegations against Gaetz are made public than hammer him. These are two different things though. The _names_ of many of the accusers may remain protected indefinitely. OTOH the FBI and Justice department can confirm many of the accusations (and this has already been reported) and whether charges are being brought. This is much more important than any identities. ---
**Author:** ![Deeg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/deeg/32/2955_2.png) [@Deeg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Deeg)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2021, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/matt-gaetz-being-investigated-for-sex-with-17-year-old-girl-doj-declines-to-charge-2023-02-15/939052/345 "2021-04-17T15:34:30Z")
Totally agree. If the legal authorities make official announcements then the House should take action. I suppose one could argue innocent-until-proven-guilty but an indictment should be enough to at least suspend him. ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2021, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/matt-gaetz-being-investigated-for-sex-with-17-year-old-girl-doj-declines-to-charge-2023-02-15/939052/346 "2021-04-17T16:36:20Z")
The traditional practice is to remove congress critters from committee work and caucus meetings upon indictment. Then kick them out upon conviction, assuming they refuse to resign. ---
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2021, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/matt-gaetz-being-investigated-for-sex-with-17-year-old-girl-doj-declines-to-charge-2023-02-15/939052/347 "2021-04-17T16:43:42Z")
There have been a _lot_ of political traditions that were licked to the curb in the past five years. Why not one more? ---
**Author:** ![Leftwix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e274bd/32.png) [@Leftwix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leftwix)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2021, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/matt-gaetz-being-investigated-for-sex-with-17-year-old-girl-doj-declines-to-charge-2023-02-15/939052/348 "2021-04-17T17:32:02Z")
I wish I worked for Andy Cuomo, I’d be tickled pink if he goofed around like that with me, and that’s all it was. I don’t know him personally, but I can tell he likes to laugh and have fun, but he’s not the type to lure you into his office and lock the door. If the women didn’t like it, and made it known, then he’d never do it again. There’s a big difference in my mind between a flirt and a predator. Big difference. Anyway, it irks me to see Gov. Cuomo compared in any way to the real scumbags out there. End of rant. Back to Mattie-Boy, I despise him, and seriously wonder if sex with animals would be enough for Republicans to oust him. Hiwever, I don’t think Trump would lose any followers over beastiality, he’s a cult leader so anything goes. ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2021, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/matt-gaetz-being-investigated-for-sex-with-17-year-old-girl-doj-declines-to-charge-2023-02-15/939052/349 "2021-04-17T17:34:31Z")
The Democrats have a majority in the House, for one thing, and have no particular desire to keep Matt Gaetz employed. He’s not especially well-liked by the rest of his party, either, and Trump is not interested in wielding any influence on Gaetz’s behalf. If he’s indicted (looking more and more likely everyday) he’s done. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2021, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/matt-gaetz-being-investigated-for-sex-with-17-year-old-girl-doj-declines-to-charge-2023-02-15/939052/350 "2021-04-17T17:57:18Z")
> [@Leftwix](#): > > I wish I worked for Andy Cuomo, I’d be tickled pink if he goofed around like that with me, and that’s all it was. I don’t know him personally, but I can tell he likes to laugh and have fun, but he’s not the type to lure you into his office and lock the door. If you’re very lucky, maybe someday you’ll get your wish. ---
**Author:** ![Saintly\_Loser](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saintly_loser/32/4045_2.png) [@Saintly\_Loser](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saintly_Loser)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2021, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/matt-gaetz-being-investigated-for-sex-with-17-year-old-girl-doj-declines-to-charge-2023-02-15/939052/351 "2021-04-17T19:07:31Z")
> [@Leftwix](#): > > . . .I can tell he likes to laugh and have fun That is _not_ the impression I’ve gotten over the years of Andrew Cuomo. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2021, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/matt-gaetz-being-investigated-for-sex-with-17-year-old-girl-doj-declines-to-charge-2023-02-15/939052/352 "2021-04-17T19:55:48Z")
> [@Leftwix](#): > > Back to Mattie-Boy, I despise him, and seriously wonder if sex with animals would be enough for Republicans to oust him. Depends on whether he was a Top or a Bottom. ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2021, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/matt-gaetz-being-investigated-for-sex-with-17-year-old-girl-doj-declines-to-charge-2023-02-15/939052/353 "2021-04-17T21:54:41Z")
> [@Leftwix](#): > > I wish I worked for Andy Cuomo, I’d be tickled pink if he goofed around like that with me, and that’s all it was. I don’t know him personally, but I can tell he likes to laugh and have fun, but he’s not the type to lure you into his office and lock the door. If the women didn’t like it, and made it known, then he’d never do it again. That’s setting the bar for decent professional behavior way too low. If you or anybody else wants to “goof around” with Gov. Cuomo, you should meet up with him in a bar or someplace outside of working hours, not in the office. Cuomo should not be treating his working environment, paid for by us NY taxpayers, as his personal playground for “goofing around”. And the default for decent professional behavior is: Don’t sexually harass people. Not: Don’t sexually harass people more than once if they made it known they didn’t like it the first time. > [@Leftwix](#): > > There’s a big difference in my mind between a flirt and a predator. There’s a big difference between a stinky shit and a toxic waste dump too, but that doesn’t mean it’s okay to take a stinky shit on the office carpet. Romantic/sexual flirting does not belong in workplaces, especially when initiated by powerful authority figures targeting much younger subordinates. ---
**Author:** ![nightshadea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/7ba0ec/32.png) [@nightshadea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nightshadea)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2021, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/matt-gaetz-being-investigated-for-sex-with-17-year-old-girl-doj-declines-to-charge-2023-02-15/939052/354 "2021-04-17T22:05:27Z")
and apparently hes joined the openly racist “america first” caucus heres what he says about it : republican Florida Representative [Matt Gaetz](https://www.newsweek.com/topic/matt-gaetz) proudly announced his membership to the newly formed group via [Twitter](https://www.newsweek.com/topic/twitter) on Friday. “I’m proud to join @mtgreenee in the #AmericaFirst Caucus,” he tweeted, tagging Greene’s Twitter account. “We will end wars, stop illegal immigration & promote trade that is fair to American workers.” > I’m proud to join @mtgreenee in the #AmericaFirst Caucus. > > We will end wars, stop illegal immigration & promote trade that is fair to American workers. > > This is just a hit piece from the America Last crowd in Big Media, Big Tech & Big Government.[https://www.forbes.com/sites/andrewsolender/2021/04/16/marjorie-taylor-greene-forming-caucus-to-promote-anglo-saxon-political-traditions/?sh=16e63fcf5672](https://t.co/hjGiuSLwBW) > > — Matt Gaetz (@mattgaetz) April 16, 2021 Gaetz, who is currently under investigation for [alleged sex trafficking](https://www.newsweek.com/matt-gaetz-billboard-florida-claude-taylor-mad-dog-pac-1583885), also linked to a _Forbes_ article criticizing the group’s Anglo-Saxon promotion, writing: “This is just a hit piece from the America Last crowd in Big Media, Big Tech & Big Government.” ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2021, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/matt-gaetz-being-investigated-for-sex-with-17-year-old-girl-doj-declines-to-charge-2023-02-15/939052/355 "2021-04-17T23:01:26Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > > [@Leftwix](#): > > > > Back to Mattie-Boy, I despise him, and seriously wonder if sex with animals would be enough for Republicans to oust him. > > Depends on whether he was a Top or a Bottom. You seem to have forgotten your initiation to the Dope. ISTR noting the tremendous versatility of the squid. ---
**Author:** ![Leftwix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e274bd/32.png) [@Leftwix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leftwix)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2021, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/matt-gaetz-being-investigated-for-sex-with-17-year-old-girl-doj-declines-to-charge-2023-02-15/939052/356 "2021-04-18T02:32:44Z")
This was a political hit-job. I have zero doubt about that. Let’s just agree to disagree about NY’s Governor. ---
**Author:** ![Leftwix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e274bd/32.png) [@Leftwix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leftwix)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2021, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/matt-gaetz-being-investigated-for-sex-with-17-year-old-girl-doj-declines-to-charge-2023-02-15/939052/357 "2021-04-18T02:36:19Z")
Lol, come on, you know that’s not gonna happen. Don’t get my hopes up. ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2021, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/matt-gaetz-being-investigated-for-sex-with-17-year-old-girl-doj-declines-to-charge-2023-02-15/939052/358 "2021-04-18T02:43:21Z")
> [@Leftwix](#): > > This was a political hit-job. “Political”? By whom and for whose benefit? It doesn’t do NY Democrats in general any particular good to have the leading NY Democrat outed as an unprofessional skeeve. And AFAICT all these former aides and administrators making the accusations are Democrats themselves. So what’s this alleged “hit-job” in aid of? > [@Leftwix](#): > > Let’s just agree to disagree about NY’s Governor. We can certainly agree to disagree about whether Gov. Cuomo seems personally attractive and fun-loving and appealing: de gustibus non est disputandum and all that. But I hope we’re not in disagreement about whether it’s okay for professionals, especially powerful authority figures and public servants, to be subjecting their subordinates and co-workers to flirtatious pestering, sexual harassment and/or groping, all of which Cuomo’s been publicly accused of. I don’t care what party someone belongs to, that shit’s inappropriate. ---
**Author:** ![Deeg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/deeg/32/2955_2.png) [@Deeg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Deeg)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2021, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/matt-gaetz-being-investigated-for-sex-with-17-year-old-girl-doj-declines-to-charge-2023-02-15/939052/359 "2021-04-18T04:14:33Z")
Leftwix, stop making excuses for sexual harassment. ---
**Author:** ![raventhief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/raventhief/32/4_2.png) [@raventhief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/raventhief)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2021, 4:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/matt-gaetz-being-investigated-for-sex-with-17-year-old-girl-doj-declines-to-charge-2023-02-15/939052/360 "2021-04-18T04:47:05Z")
_ **Moderating** _ The instruction to drop the Cuomo sidetrack was issued many, many posts ago. I debated making this a warning, but there have been a LOT of responses engaging this again, and I dont want to warn everyone. so be aware. DROP IT. The next one I see will be a warning. I will temp lock this for anyone making a response post so they can see this. Everyone who responded to the revived Cuomo comparison ALSO drop it. ---
**Author:** ![raventhief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/raventhief/32/4_2.png) [@raventhief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/raventhief)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2021, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/matt-gaetz-being-investigated-for-sex-with-17-year-old-girl-doj-declines-to-charge-2023-02-15/939052/361 "2021-04-18T04:50:00Z")
Closed on April 18, 2021, 4:50am UTC ---
**Author:** ![raventhief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/raventhief/32/4_2.png) [@raventhief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/raventhief)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2021, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/matt-gaetz-being-investigated-for-sex-with-17-year-old-girl-doj-declines-to-charge-2023-02-15/939052/362 "2021-04-18T04:53:09Z")
Opened on April 18, 2021, 4:53am UTC ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2021, 7:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/matt-gaetz-being-investigated-for-sex-with-17-year-old-girl-doj-declines-to-charge-2023-02-15/939052/363 "2021-04-18T07:08:01Z")
Oop sorry, I missed that instruction. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/matt-gaetz-being-investigated-for-sex-with-17-year-old-girl-doj-declines-to-charge-2023-02-15/939052.md?page=17) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/matt-gaetz-being-investigated-for-sex-with-17-year-old-girl-doj-declines-to-charge-2023-02-15/939052.md?page=19)